Warren b



(No Model.) W. B. HOWE & P. B. DAVIDSON.

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M mgwma UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VARREN 13. IIOW'E AND FRANK B. DAVIDSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

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SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 482,479, datedSeptember 13, 1892.

Application filed January 22, 1891. Serial No. 378,636. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, WARREN B. HOWE and FRANK B. DAVIDSON, of Chicago,in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Iaper Boxes; and we do hereby declare thatthefollowingis a full, clear, and exact description thereof, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in the construction of a paperbox of that class having connected side walls and flaps at one or bothends, which are adapted to be folded together and interlocked to formthe end wall or walls of the box.

The invention consists in the matters hereinat'ter described, andpointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure 1 is aperspective view of one end of a box embodying our invention,illustrating a somewhatdiiferent construction in the form of the endflaps. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the same box with the end flapspartially unfolded. Fig. 3 is a plan view of one end or edge of theblank used for forming the box shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is aperspective view of one end of a box, which differs slightly from thatshown in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 5 is a similar view of the box shown inFig. 4,with the end flaps partially unfolded.

In Figs. 1 and 2 we have shown one end of a box having only one set ofinterlocking flaps, the side Walls of the box shown in this instancebeing longer in one direction than the other and the interlocking flapsbeing applied to the longer side walls.

D D are flaps belonging to the shorter sides of the box, while D D areflaps belonging to the longer sides thereof. The flap D is ofrectangular shape with a straight free edge, While the flap D isprovided with transverse notches or slits, forming two lateralprojections d d and an intermediate tongue d, which tongue is madeshorter than the projections d cl for convenience of folding the partstogether. The flap D is provided with U-shaped cuts or slits d (Zforming tongues 01 d said tongues being arranged laterally or with theirfree ends parallel with the sides of the main flap D. The slits d d areso located that the side margins of the tongue d may be inserted beneathsaid lateral tongues when the flaps D and D are interlocked.

The ends of the flaps D D are tapered or otherwise made sufficientlynarrow or are provided with narrow projections to also enter the slits(1 d The flaps D D are folded together o1 interlocked in the same manneras the similar flaps hereinbefore described, except that the tongue d ispreferably, but not necessarily, introduced between the tongues 61 d andthe body of the flap D, and the flaps D D are bent over the said flaps Dand D and the ends thereof inserted in the slits (1 d which latter areplaced so close together as to be exposed between the parts (I d of theflap D as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The engagement of the tongue at withthe lateral tongues d (1 makes the end of the box stiffer or stronger toresist inward pressure, because the said tongues d (I hold the free endof the tongue cl from being bent or deflected inwardly away from theflap D, as it would tend to do when the flaps were pressed inwardly ifnot so interlocked with said tongues 61 61 The engagement of the ends ofthe flaps D D with the slits (1 d obviously secures the several flaps,so that no other fastening device is necessary. When it is desired tohold the outer flapsD D closed without affording any additionalengagement of the tongue (1 with the flap D, the slits d (1 may be madestraight instead of U-shaped and the ends of the flaps D D insertedtherein, with the same result as far as the securing of the said outerflaps is concerned. It will of course be understood, however, that thebox having flaps made as described, may and commonly will be covered bya paper wrapper when employed for packing merchandise, such as starch ordry-food products, which are liable to sift through the joints of thefolded flaps.

Fig. 3 shows one end of the blank employed in forming the box shown inFig. 5, said blank being provided with transverse slits d d, forming theseveral flaps, and with an end flap 02 like the similar blankhereinbefore described.

In Figs. 4 and 5 we have shown one end of a box similar to that shown inFig. 5, with ICO the exception that the tongue d of the flap D isprovided with two slits d d, which are approximately parallel with thefree edge of the flap, so as to form two lateral tongues (1 d The saidslits d d terminate at their inner ends a distance apart about equal tothe space between the slits 01 d so that when the flap D is engaged withthe flap D, with the tongue cl beneath said flap D the lateral tongues d01 may be inserted through the said slits d d When the parts are thusconstructed, the insertion of the said tongues d d through the slits d dserves to interlock the flaps D D with each other, so that they cannotbe pulled apart or will not become separated by accident or by thepressure of the goods within the box, and cannot be disconnected withoutfirst disengaging said tongues from the slits. In closing the end of thebox constructed as last described the ends of the flaps D D which aremade narrow for the purpose, are tucked into the slits 01 d preferablybeneath the tongues 01 (1 as clearly seen in Fig. 4.

It will of course be understood that the novel features of constructionherein shown, by which the opposite flaps of a box may be interlocked inthe manner described, maybe applied to either one or both pairs of flapsat one end of a box, or to one or both flaps at both ends thereof, asdesired. It is further obvious that as far as the construction of theflaps themselves is concerned the side walls or body of the box may beconstructed in any manner found convenient or desirable, and the use ofa single blank such as is herein illustrated is not essential.

While the invention is herein described as applied to a box madeentirely of paper or strawboard, having permanently-connected side wallsand adapted for shipment in knockdown form, it will of course beunderstood that theinvention may be employed as well in connection withwrappers, packages, or cartons of other forms. Furthermore, it isobvious that as far as the construction of the interlocking flaps isconcerned the body of the box or carton may be wholly or partially ofother material than paper or strawboard.

WVe claim as our invention 1. A box provided with two flaps connectedwith opposite side walls of the box, one of said flaps being providedwith two slits or notches extending inwardly from its outer end to forma tongue and the other with two U-shaped slits forming interior tonguesto engage with the side margins of the tongue upon the flap firstmentioned when the flaps are folded together, substantially asdescribed.

2. A box provided with two flaps connected with opposite side walls ofthe box, one of said flaps being provided with two slits or notchesextending inwardly from its free edge to form a tongue, which tongue isslitted at each side to form lateral tongues, and the other with twoslits in its central part, which form tongues to engage with the tongueupon the flap first mentioned and which are adapted to receive the saidlateral tongues for locking the flaps together, substantially asdescribed.

3. A box provided with four flaps connected with its side walls, one ofsaid flaps being provided with slits or notches extending inwardly fromits free edge to form a tongue, the flap opposite thereto being providedwith interior cuts or slits and the intermediate flaps being providedwith narrow ends or projections adapted to enter said interior slits,substantially as described.

4. A box provided with four flaps connected with its side walls, one ofsaid flaps being provided with slits or notches extending inwardly fromits free edge to form a tongue, which tongue is slitted to form lateraltongues, the flap opposite thereto being provided with interior cuts orslits adapted to receive the said lateral tongues and the twointermediate flaps being provided with narrow ends or projectionsadapted forinsertion in said interior cuts or slits, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our invention we aflix oursignatures in presence of two witnesses.

WARREN B. HOWE. FRANK B. DAVIDSON.

Witnesses:

C. CLARENCE POOLE, GEO. W. HIGGINS, Jr.

